Latest update — August 2026: Phase 2 of the UAE's good-conduct-certificate requirement takes effect on 15 August 2026, adding 11 nationalities including Bangladesh, Nigeria and the Philippines. Phase 1 — 23 nationalities, including India and Pakistan — has applied since 16 June 2026, and Phase 3 (including China, Iran and South Africa) follows on 15 November 2026. The nationality lists below are compiled from ICP notices circulated through free zones, registration authorities and immigration advisories; confirm your case before filing.
Since April 2026, the ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) has required a police clearance certificate — officially a good conduct certificate (شهادة حسن السيرة والسلوك) — with new entry-permit applications for a growing list of nationalities. The UAE briefly ran a similar requirement in 2018 before suspending it; the 2026 version arrived quietly, through circulars to free zones and typing centres rather than a single public announcement, which is why most applicants first hear about it when an application bounces. This guide covers who needs the certificate, for which applications, and how to obtain and attest one — from abroad or from inside the UAE.
At a Glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What is it? | A police clearance / good conduct certificate confirming no criminal record, attested for UAE use |
| Who asks for it? | ICP, on new entry-permit and visa applications for listed nationalities |
| Since when? | April 2026 (initial list); formal phased schedule from 16 June 2026 |
| How many nationalities? | 45 by 15 November 2026, phased in three stages |
| Where is it issued? | Home country (applicants abroad or on tourist visas) or inside the UAE (cancelled-residence cases) |
| Attestation? | UAE embassy in the issuing country, then MOFAIC — see attestation |
| Validity? | Certificates are generally accepted for about 3 months from issue |
What Counts as a Good Conduct Certificate
A good conduct certificate — police clearance certificate (PCC), criminal record check — is issued by the police or justice ministry of the country where you live or hold nationality, and confirms the absence of a criminal record. For UAE immigration use it must be recent (about three months is the accepted shelf life in most channels) and, when issued abroad, legalised for the UAE through the attestation chain below. Certificates are typically issued in days and cost little; the attestation is where the time and money go.
Who Needs One — The Phased Nationality List
The rollout began with an ICP circular in April 2026 covering an initial group of nationalities for entry permits in the emirates ICP administers (all except Dubai): Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Uganda. A formal three-phase schedule followed in June 2026:
| Phase | Effective | Nationalities |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 16 June 2026 | India, Pakistan, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nepal, Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia, Gambia, Senegal, Mozambique, Cuba, Mexico, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Tonga |
| Phase 2 | 15 August 2026 | Bangladesh, Philippines, Nigeria, Sudan, Tunisia, Colombia, Zimbabwe, Cyprus, Albania, Mauritius, Fiji |
| Phase 3 | 15 November 2026 | China, Iran, South Africa, Serbia, Belarus, Georgia, Mauritania, Rwanda, Nicaragua, Slovenia, Seychelles |
Treat the lists as indicative, not final. ICP has not published one consolidated public list; the schedule above is assembled from notices that free zones and registration authorities forwarded to companies, and versions differ at the edges — several nationalities from the April circular (Indonesia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and in some notices Myanmar) keep being asked for certificates even where they don't appear in the phased schedule. Before filing any application, have the typing centre or free zone confirm whether the certificate field is mandatory for your nationality that week, or call ICP on 600 522 222.
Which Applications It Applies To
The requirement attaches to new entry permits — the approval that precedes a residence visa — filed with ICP, which covers employment, family and other long-stay categories in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates, and by multiple reports also tourist-visa applications for listed nationalities. Renewals of an existing residence visa generally do not trigger it, though some free zones report requesting it on renewals too. Dubai files run through GDRFA, which maintains its own document requirements — if you are applying through Dubai, confirm with an Amer centre rather than assuming either way.
Requirements by Situation
| Your situation | Certificate must come from | Attestation |
|---|---|---|
| Applying from outside the UAE | Home country | UAE embassy in the issuing country, then MOFAIC |
| Inside the UAE on a tourist visa | Home country (obtained remotely or through the consulate) | Same chain as above |
| Inside the UAE with a cancelled residence visa | Within the UAE — MOI or Dubai Police | None of the overseas chain applies |
Where the UAE has no embassy in the issuing country (Bhutan, Tonga and several smaller states on the list), attestation runs through the UAE mission accredited to that country from a neighbouring capital — budget extra weeks for the courier loop.
Getting a Police Clearance Inside the UAE
People who held UAE residence and are applying again from inside the country — the cancelled-visa scenario — use the local certificate instead: the Ministry of Interior issues a federal good conduct certificate online (MOI website or app, against your Emirates ID or unified number), and Dubai Police issue their own for people whose UAE history is Dubai-based. Online fees are modest — roughly AED 50–70 plus service charges — and the certificate arrives digitally, usually within a few days. Fingerprinting is only requested when the system cannot match your record automatically.
Attestation — The Part That Takes the Time
For certificates issued abroad, the circulars specify attestation by the UAE embassy in the issuing country, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFAIC) stamp completing the chain in the UAE. The UAE joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2025, which for most member-country documents replaces the embassy step with a single Apostille — but immigration circulars for this rule still name the embassy route, and practice is settling; ask the typing centre which version ICP's system accepts for your nationality before paying for either. The full chain, costs and timelines are covered in document attestation.
If Your Application Was Rejected
Two practitioner habits worth copying. First, when a rejection reason is given, the Arabic text is the operative version — have it translated precisely; the English summary is often generic. Second, visa agents report that attaching a police clearance certificate voluntarily — even where the field is optional for your nationality — measurably helps reapplications after a rejection, alongside fixing the mundane causes (passport-number typos, name mismatches between documents, flight details that don't match the application). A rejection is not a ban; corrected reapplications are routinely approved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the good conduct certificate apply to tourist visas?
For listed nationalities, multiple freezone and agent notices report the requirement extending to tourist-visa applications filed through ICP channels, not just employment and family entry permits. Requirements shift week to week as phases land — confirm with the agency filing your application.
Do visa renewals need a good conduct certificate?
Generally no — the requirement targets new entry permits. Some free zones have asked for it on renewals as well, so treat "no" as the default and your free zone's word as final.
Are GCC residents exempt?
No exemption has been reported. A residence permit in another GCC state does not carry over to the UAE — each application is assessed as new, so a listed nationality needs the certificate regardless of where they currently live.
Does the rule apply to Golden Visa applications?
No official exemption has been published either way. Golden Visa files run through the same ICP system, so assume the certificate field can appear for listed nationalities and have one ready — it is never wasted paper in a UAE immigration file.
How recent must the certificate be?
Issue it within about three months of the application. Attestation can consume weeks of that window, so start the chain immediately after issue.
Does this apply to Dubai visa applications?
The circulars are ICP-side, covering every emirate except Dubai. GDRFA Dubai sets its own document requirements and has long requested clearances case by case; confirm through an Amer centre for Dubai files.
Related reading: how to check your visa status, document attestation, ICP, GDRFA, and the wider UAE visa guide.
